The way that care is delivered for patients needing treatment for urgent health conditions at Medway Maritime Hospital is changing.
From Monday 28 September 2026, management of the Urgent Treatment Centre (UTC) run by Medway Community Health (MCH) on the hospital site will transfer to Medway NHS Foundation Trust which runs the hospital.
This move brings the service in line with national standards expected of a UTC and will mean patients seeking urgent care will now be able to access diagnostic tests, such as scans and x-rays, within the UTC rather than have to be referred to the Emergency Department.
The UTC will be open 8am to 8pm, seven days a week, to treat patients who need care urgently but whose conditions are not life-threatening, either by appointment through referral via NHS 111, ambulance services or a GP, or as a walk-in service.
Siobhan Callanan, Interim Chief Executive, Medway NHS Foundation Trust, said: “This is a significant opportunity to strengthen urgent care and make these vital services as accessible and joined-up as possible for our local community. Our focus is firmly on patients – ensuring they experience a seamless service and receive safe, faster and quality care in the right place, at the right time.”
Also as part of this change, the GP out of hours service for Medway and Swale, provided by MCH, will relocate from 28 September.
Patients who need access to a GP after their own surgery has closed can continue to call NHS 111. If a face-to face appointment is needed following telephone triage, patients will be offered an appointment at MCH House, Bailey Drive, Gillingham, ME8 0PP (not Medway Maritime Hospital).
